We(I) finally decided to make it legal after 5 years together.

We will make a trip to The Ministry of Foreign affairs to get the proper stamps for a legal marriage. This week I will get the Freedom to marry affidavit from the US Embassy. I will get the notarized affidavit at the ACS visit this week in Pattaya. I know this needs to be translated to Thai and it needs to be correct or the MFA will kick it back. So this post is to anyone that has recent experience with a translation service either in Pattaya or BKK near the MFA that can handle this document and get it done correctly the first time.

Once the proper stamps are received at MFA is there a time limit days/weeks/months? to get the marriage registered at the local Amphur? Our current plan is to return to Rayong and register at our local office. Wife said that's what she want to do.

Thanks for any and all info on this topic.

There should be plenty of translation services near the U.S Embassy.

I know there is near the U.K Embassy.

There are many places for the translation and they just use a standard form they have on their computer and fill in your personal details. It doesn't matter much which you use.

The letter has a validity of 2 or 3 months, believe it is 3 months. You can get married at any amphur you want.

Their is a translation service across the street from the MFA. You can get it translated for 300 Baht, then get the MFA stamp, about one hour. Not sure they will issue the affidavit to Mary on an outreach. Better check.

Actually you can complete everything in one day if you go to the Embassy in Bangkok rather than wait for the Outreach to Pattaya.

Very simple.

Barry

I had mine done at the visa services office next door to the British consul in Jontiem, beside the immigration police. couple of hundred baht and all done in about 10 mins.

Hey thanks guys for the quick replies.

I most likely will get the affidavit at the ACS Outreach tomorrow. They will be doing Notary services so this should not be a problem. I already down loaded the form from the Embassy website and have it prepared and ready for the notary.

Sounds like the translation is pretty simple which is what I would expect but a friend told me the service they used dragged it out to a half a day affair for some reason. I may take a ride over to the place in Jomtein as I will already be in Pattaya.

Draggons have you already gone to the MFA for the stamps? No issues with the correct translations of the names and addresses?

Get the translation company take it to MFA for verification for a fee.

You can do it yourself if you like to sit and wait 4-6 hours.

Come out of the Embassy cross the road turn right then left in to the first soy/street look on the left hane side , you will see loads of Thai English translates,

Come out of the Embassy cross the road turn right then left in to the first soy/street look on the left hane side , you will see loads of Thai English translates,

As I stated in the OP, I am not going to the Embassy but using the ACS Outreach,,,,,,,,,,this morning actually. I will avoid going to that part of Bangkok if possible.

Longball, yes we had it all stamped up about a month ago. Got there about 10 in the morning and collected it about 13.30, no problems. Registered the marrage at the Amphur in Ban Chang.

Sounds great,,,,,,thanks. Oh we must be neighbors as I live in Phala

Me too

Here's an update on obtaining my affidavit.

On the trip to Pattaya this morning I got waved over by the BIB just after I transitioned from 331 north to 36 . They claimed I was going over the limit and this is not the motorway. I could opt for a trip to the station and 1,000 baht ticket or if I pay on the spot I could only pay 500. I tried to negotiate that I was not speeding but the man oh you go too fast. Ok you want pay here or station. I said pay here now how much. He said 400 OK. I guess if i pushed more I could have got down to the 200 baht limit but I wanted to get to Pattaya so I paid the"ticket" and left. Funny that I never got written up or handed any receipt.

Went to the ACS Outreach and got my affidavit no problems.

Went off over to Jomtein next to the Immigration office to a place advertising translations and other visa work. Stepped in and talked with two nice Thai ladies about translating my document to marry. They very politely and nicely suggested it was better if my plan was to go to the MFA myself that I get the translation done down stairs there at MFA as if there are any mistakes or corrections needed the local office there would do for free. If they in Jomtein did the translation and MFA kicked it for a mistake I would have an issue of how to correct the mistake. They said they could do all of it and go to the MFA as a complete service but I declined that. So next week or so we will go to BKK and the MFA to get the translation and MFA stamps.

One step closer I guess but the extra 400 for "speeding" was unexpected. First time I have had to pay any fines in 5 years. Been stopped a lot but usually the wife talks us out of paying. She was not in the car today. Oh well ,,,,,,,,TIT

Why use the 36 to get to Pattaya Longball? Over Buddha mountain or via Phoenix golf course far quicker.

Sorry to here about the tea money.

I had other stops to make on the north end and for me I like that way better than all the lights on Suk from the south. If I was headed to the south end I would use the other way